Older and wiser, you have more time 
to enjoy life on the road.

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Seniors are traveling more than ever, and why shouldn't they? 

Before you go:
  Is your home safe?

Galloping Back to Your Youth: Cowboy Adventure
in the Southwest U.S.

Elderhostel: Bridging the Generations 

For Grandparents

How to help keep vim and vigor on the road:
 

[  ]  Be sure all of your medications are up-to-date and packed in your carry-on.  You do not want to be left at your destination with your luggage in Iceland and no prescription medication on hand!  Be sure to visit your doctor and carry a copy of your prescription for customs officials.

[  ]  Pack an extra pair of eyeglasses if you wear them, and bring a copy of your eyeglass prescription. 

[  ]  Jet lag affects everyone.  Make sure that once you arrive at your destination you set your watch and your body clock to the new time zone by sleeping and eating when the natives do.  Avoid caffeine on the flight and on the first day, and get plenty of sleep.

[  ]  Take plenty of nutritious snacks and carry a water bottle.

[  ]  Know your limits.  If you are planning a trekking vacation or lost of biking or other physical activity, make sure you are prepared by following a regular exercise routine beforehand.  Once you are on your trip, don't overdo it.  If you are tired, rest.  It is no fun being sore and having to sit on the sidelines for the rest of the trip.

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Senior Discounts

US Airways  AARP Savers  1-866-886-2277 

Virgin Atlantic Airways  Save 12-25%.  1-800-862-8621 

Avis Rent-A-Car  Save 5-20%.  1-800-331-1800 

Hertz  Save 5-15%.  1-800-654-2200 

National Car Rental  Save 5-30%.  1-800-CAR-RENT 

Gateway Computers  Save $50  1-800-270-5736 

Family Tree Maker  $15 Value  1-800-548-1806 

B&V Waterways  Save 5%.  1-800-999-3636 

Carnival Cruise Lines  Save $25-$200.  1-800-88-RELAX 

Cruise411.com  Save 25% - 60%.  1-800-553-7090 

Holland America Line  Save $25-$100.  1-800-88-RELAX 

Norwegian Coastal Voyage Inc.  Save $70-$100.  1-800-323-7436 

World Explorer Cruises  Save 15-20%.  1-800-854-3835 

Hotels, Motels, 
and Resorts 

AmeriSuites  Save 15%.  1-800-833-1516 

Best Western  Save 10%.  1-800-528-1234 

Citadines Apart' hotels  Save 10%.  1-800-987-6650 

Clarion Hotels, Suites and Resorts  Save 10-30%.  1-800-252-7466 

Comfort Inns and Suites  Save 10-30%  1-800-228-5150 

Courtyard by Marriott  Save 10%.  1-800-346-4000 

Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts  Save at least 10%.  1-800-2-CROWNE 

Days Inns, Hotels, Suites, Lodges and Daystops  Save 10%.  1-800-DAYS-INN 

Econolodge  Save 15-30%.  1-800-553-2666 

Fairfield Inn by Marriott  Save 10%.  1-800-322-4000 

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts  Save 10%-30%.  1-800-866-5577 

Holiday Inn  Save at least 10%.  1-800-HOLIDAY 

Howard Johnson Inns and Hotels  Save 20%.  1-800-I-GO-HOJO 

La Quinta Inns  Save 10%.  1-800-NU-ROOMS 

Marriott Hotels, Resorts & Suites  Save 10-50%.  1-800-228-9290 

Motel 6  Save 10%.  1-800-4-MOTEL-6 

Omni Hotels  Save 10%.  1-800-THE-OMNI 

Outrigger Hotels and Resorts  Save 25%.  1-800-OUTRIGGER 

Quality Inns, Hotels and Suites  Save 10-30%.  1-800-228-5151 

Ramada  Save 15%.  1-800-228-2828 

Red Lion Hotels & Inns  Save 10%.  1-800-733-5466 

Renaissance Hotels, Resorts & Suites  Save 10%-50%.  1-800-468-3571 

Residence Inn by Marriott  Save 15%.  1-800-331-3131 

Rodeway Inn  Save 15-30%  1-800-228-2000 

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts  Save 15-25%.  1-800-325-3535 

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts: The Luxury Collection and St. Regis  Save 15-25%.  1-800-325-3589 

Four Points Hotels by Sheraton  Save 15-25%.  1-800-325-3535 

Shoney's Inn  Save 15%.  1-800-222-2222 

Sleep Inn  Save 10-30%.  1-800-753-3746 

SpringHill Suites by Marriott  Save 10%.  1-888-287-9400 

Sumner Suites  Save 10-15%.  1-800-747-8483 

Super 8  Save 10%.  1-800-800-8000 

Travelodge  Save 15%.  1-800-578-7878 

Wellesley Inn & Suites  Save 15%.  1-800-444-8888 

Wyndham Hotel & Resorts  Save 20%.  1-800-WYNDHAM
 
 

 

Ramon Mena Owens

Galloping back to your youth

Do you remember playing cowboy as a child?  Do you remember the Lone Ranger, his faithful sidekick Tonto, and pretending to gallop across the sagebrush with Silver, yelling “hi-ho, Silver, away!”  If you do, renting a horse and riding in Monument Valley amongst the buttes and spires you may recognize from spaghetti westerns and SUV commercials is a dream-come-true opportunity.

Monument Valley is nestled on the border near the Four Corners region of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Southern Utah, closer to Southern Utah and Arizona.  In addition to the beautiful landscape caused by the wearing down of altering layers of soft and hard rock by wind and rain over thousands of years, the region also boasts more than 100 ancient Anasazi sites and ruins dating before A.D. 1300. 

No perennial streams run through the area, and the climate is almost the same as it was back then.  How did people survive with so little water?  Consider how the Pueblo people today plan crops in scattered plots to catch limited rainfall, minimizing the possibility of crop failure, as well as wise use of water trapped in sand dunes and sandstone aquifer seepage. 

It raises questions about how we can all live more harmoniously with what nature has to offer. You can rent guides that will take you on tours ranging from five to seven days across the untamed desert.  Guides provide horses, saddles, a guide, food, and a set itinerary for you and a friend or loved one to set off on your Western expedition just like the cowboys.

If you love to ride, but you or your bottom have a shorter time period in mind, you can ride for an hour and a half, two hours, three hours, four hours, a day, a breakfast ride, a steak on the trail ride, or an overnight camp in the majestic Superstition Mountains. 

The outfitter can plan a vacation for your own large group (friends, family reunion, class reunion, or whatever your heart desires!) and can include haywagon rides, games, entertainment, educational programs about the Superstition Mountains, and of course, western style cooking.

No matter how long you decide to ride, to make your ride more comfortable, you can wear pantyhose under your jeans to reduce chafing.

2001 rides for the Monument Valley area are scheduled for September, when the temperatures begin to cool and the days are still long, with an average daily temperature of 82 degrees, and a sunrise at 7 a.m. and sunset around 7:30 p.m.  With long days and hot sun overhead, be sure to take plenty of drinking water in addition to what your outfitter provides.  Take a hat to protect you from the sun, and rest often.

While within the borders of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, remember that certain rules apply.  There is no rock climbing permitted in the park, as rock formations are sacred to the Navajo.  In addition, if you wish to photograph a Navajo, please respect the privacy of the individual and ask permission.  If permission is granted, many Navajo request a gratuity for the photo.    Of course, you must obey all rules and regulations, and refrain from removing plants, animals, or artifacts from the area.

Rattlesnakes, scorpions, and spiders are present in the area, so shake your boots and check your sleeping bag before snuggling in for the night or taking off in the morning.

You will be in the wilderness with limited facilities.  So remember: cowboys don’t squat with their spurs on!

For information on how to plan your horseback vacation, call Don Donnelly Horseback Vacations and Stables at 1-800-346-4403.  You can check out dates and tour prices at www.dondonelly.com
 
 
 
 

Roll-call for Cowboys

The following movies, to name a few, were filmed in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.  Do you remember when?

Stagecoach   1938
How the West Was Won  1942
My Darling Clementine  1946
The Searchers   1956

Some more recent films include:

The Trials of Billy Jack  1973
The Legend of the Lone Ranger 1980
Back to the Future III  1988
 

While in the area

If time allows, consider these other attractions are a half-day or day’s drive from Monument Valley that are great outdoor escapes.  RV sites are available at most places on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Commercial RV areas are also available.

Canyonlands National Park, UT (hiking, jeep tours, mountain biking)
Arches National Park, UT (hiking)
Grand Staircase-Escalante National monument, UT (hiking, mountain biking)
Capitol Reef National Park, UT (hiking)
Bryce Canyon National Park, UT (hiking)
Lake Powell National Recreation Area, UT (boating -- rentals are available, hiking)
Grand Canyon National Park, AZ (hiking, mule trips, white water rafting) - Dina Horwedel 

---

Batten down 
the hatches

A checklist for ensuring the safety of your home while away for extended travel
 

One of the benefits of being retired is that you do not have to rush back from your travels to be at the office in two weeks. 

Here are some tips to follow before you leave to keep your mind at ease while you are gone:

[  ] Make arrangements for someone to care for your lawn, landscaping, and plants.

[  ] Throw out all perishable items or donate them to a soup kitchen.

[  ] Unplug your computer and other electronic equipment, such as televisions, VCRs, etc. to protect them from possible power surges during storms.

[  ]  Close all curtains and blinds

[  ] Place a hold on newspaper and mail delivery.

[  ]  Ask a friend of neighbor to drive by your home and check on things at least once a week.

[  ] Notify police of the dates of your absence so that they can keep an eye on your home.

[  ]  Place all valuable jewelry in a safe deposit box.

[  ] Activate motion lights and timers for interior lights.

[  ]  Keep your heat set at a minimum of 58 degrees in winter to prevent pipes from freezing.

[  ]  Lock all windows and doors.

[  ] If you have a security system, place a call to the service to let them know you will be out of town.  Have all alarms ring to the police department.  Leave a number where you can be reached in your absence.

[  ] Leave your itinerary with a trusted friend or relative.